Kibbeh is ubiquitous throughout the Middle East. If you know anything at all about this dish, you know it is usually made with meat – beef, lamb, or, rarely, goat. It can be baked, fried, or eaten raw. It is essentially a meat feast with a little wheat thrown in.

However, during Lent, many Christians throughout the world – including the Middle East – give up eating meat. So, a vegetarian version was created (most likely in Lebanon) so they could still enjoy Kibbeh throughout Lent.

I came up with my version of this dish about 15 years ago when my husband was still a practicing vegetarian. He’s since come back to the dark side, but I still like to make this version on occasion whenever we are having a vegan week here at Chez Ray.

A few notes:

I use pine nuts in this recipe, like I do in traditional Kibbeh. However, if you can’t find, afford, or don’t want to use them, you can substitute slivered almonds.

If you want to add some additional flavoring or bulk, you can also layer in along with the filling, sliced boiled potatoes, sautéed squash, sliced tomatoes, or fried eggplant slices.

If you are making this for someone who is allergic to nuts, then you can use vegetables (see above) or seitan or tempeh. However, if you decide to use either of these, be sure that either of them aren’t highly seasoned (like many commercial ones are – especially seitan).

I like to use fine bulghur wheat for this dish (#1 grind) because the crust holds together better with the finer grind.

If the crust mixture is too dry, add a little water; if it is too wet, add a little whole wheat flour. However, make sure that you have everything well mixed before you begin adding any additional ingredients. If you do have to add anything, adjust the seasonings accordingly.

A traditional accompaniment to Kibbeh is a cucumber-yogurt salad. If you want to keep this completely vegan, then use a soy-based or coconut milk-based yogurt (however, check the label to make sure there’s no casein in the yogurt).

The Ingredients

1 c. fine bulghur wheat

The wheat. Try to use a #1 grind. You can generally find it at any Middle Eastern market.

2 med. onions, diced

1 c. chopped parsley

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 c. walnuts, chopped

1/2 c. pine nuts or slivered almonds

Walnuts and Pine Nuts. You can substitute slivered almonds for the pine nuts. However, the walnuts are a must. Most other nuts are going to be too sweet.

Preheat the oven to 375F. Either spray or oil a medium baking dish (about 7″ x 11″) and set it aside.

2. Rinse the wheat in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear.

Rinsing the wheat. You want to be sure to get off as much of the dust as possible. Processing methods are better than they once were, but some dust is still present.

Then, put the wheat into a bowl and cover with 1″ of water. Set aside and allow the wheat to soak until it is “al dente”, about 20 – 30 minutes.

Soaking the wheat. Start testing it after about 20 minutes. It should still have some chewiness to it, but it shouldn’t be crunchy.

Once the wheat is ready, drain it through the strainer again. (There’s no need to squeeze out all of the water; just be sure the wheat is well drained.) Set aside.

The soaked, drained wheat. You just want to be sure that excess moisture is drained away; it doesn’t need to be squeezed dry. You’ll need that moisture when you make the crust. (In other words, make sure it’s not dripping, but it’s not dry either; just nice and damp.)

3. Make the filling: Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions until they become soft, about 5 – 7 minutes. Stir frequently.

Sautéing the onions.

Take half of the onions out of the skillet and place them into a bowl. Set aside.

This half is waiting to be made into crust.

Place the skillet back on the heat and turn down the heat to medium and add the garlic to the onions. Sauté for 2 – 3 minutes. Stir frequently.

Adding the garlic.

Add the pine nuts and the walnuts and cook for another 3 – 4 minutes, or until they have toasted (be sure not to burn them). Again, stirring frequently.

Be sure not to let the nuts burn. You just want to get a nice golden brown on them.

Add in 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon, 1 teaspoon allspice, the pomegranate syrup, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for another 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Take the skillet from the heat and taste for seasoning. Allow the filling to cool slightly.

This is what you’re looking for – a deep maple color.

4. Make the crust: Take the other half of the onions and place them into a food processor along with the parsley, and the wheat.

The wheat, onion, and parsley in the processor.

Pulse a few times to begin mixing the ingredients, scrape down the bowl and add the other half each of the cinnamon and allspice, and a good pinch each of salt and pepper.

Adding the spices.

Process the mixture (scraping down the sides and pulsing as needed) until it is well mixed and has almost a paste-like consistency. It should still have some texture, but the mixture should hold together. Taste for seasoning.

The finished crust mixture. If the ingredients are well mixed, you shouldn’t have to add anything to adjust the texture.

5. Assembly: Take half of the crust mixture and spread it evenly over the bottom of the dish.

The bottom layer. Be sure it’s spread as evenly as possible.

Spread the filling evenly over the bottom layer.

The filling. This, of course, is where you would add any additional filling if you wanted to.

Carefully spread the top crust over the filling, smoothing it down as you go. (You may have to do this in sections.)

Essentially, this is ready to go into the oven. The top layer is a little thin because I used too much on the bottom layer. If that happens to you, just very carefully spread out the top as much as you can. It does smooth out; it may not be pretty, but it will work.

6. Cut the assembled Kibbeh into serving-size squares; or, if you want to get fancy, into diamond-shaped pieces (it’s more traditional). Press a few additional pine nuts on each piece for garnish. Spread or brush the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the top. (See above photo)

7. Place the Kibbeh in the oven and cook until the top crust is slightly browned, about 30 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

In the ongoing informal series of foods from my childhood, today, I’m going to introduce you to Mujadarah.

Admittedly, this wasn’t my favorite dish growing up. I usually picked at it or ate it with lots of salad so I could get it down. But, as happens with most of us, my palate changed and discovered that I, even if I don’t love Mujadarah, I like it. It must have been the lentils.

The first record of mujadara dates back to 1226, in the Iraqi cookbook Kitab al-Tabikh by al-Baghdadi. It was known as “peasant food”. Mujaddara is the Arabic word for “pockmarked”; the lentils among the rice resemble pockmarks. Generally consisting of rice, lentils, sometimes burghul (#3 or #4 coarse grind), and, very occasionally, meat, it was served during celebrations. Without meat, it was a medieval Arab dish commonly consumed by the poor. Because of its importance in the diet, a saying in the Eastern Arab world is, “A hungry man would be willing to sell his soul for a dish of mujaddara.”

Arab Christians traditionally eat mujaddara during Lent. The dish is also popular among Jewish communities of Middle Eastern origin, in particular those of Syrian and Egyptian backgrounds; it is sometimes nicknamed “Esau’s favourite”. Jews traditionally ate it twice a week: hot on Thursday evening, and cold on Sunday.

If the recipe looks somewhat familiar to you, I’ve made a dish similar before, Koshari. The biggest difference is that Koshari has chick peas and pasta and is generally served with a tomato-cumin sauce.

A few notes:

1. You can make this dish with white rice, brown rice, or burghul wheat. If you use burghul, be sure to use a #3 (medium coarse) or #4 (coarse) grind. If you use burghul, it will be the standard 2:1 ratio you would use for white rice.

2. You can use either brown or green lentils. Don’t use red. They cook too soft for this dish.

3. My mom uses just cinnamon as the spice (other than salt & pepper). Play with the spices and come up with a combination you like.

4. While some do make this dish with meat, I’ve always eaten it as a vegetarian meal. If you want to add meat, follow the meat cooking instructions for Kidra.

The ingredients

The lentils. Use brown or green.

From top left: cumin, allspice, olive oil, black pepper, salt

1 c. brown or green lentils

2 c. white or brown long-grain rice

2 lb. onions, cut in half and sliced thin

4 c. water or broth (5 c. if using brown rice)

2 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. cumin

2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. pepper

1/4 c. + 2 tbsp. olive oil

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the rice and saute for 1 – 2 minutes.

Sauteing the rice. I used brown in this post.

Add the salt, pepper, allspice, and cumin. Cook until the spices begin to give off a fragrance, about 1 minute.

Adding the spices. As you cook, the oils in the spices will come out and flavor the oil and rice. Be sure to stir constantly so the spices don’t burn.

Add the water or broth, bring to a boil, cover the saucepan, and turn down the heat to low. Cook until the rice is done – 25 to 30 minutes for white, 45 to 50 minutes for brown.

2. Meanwhile, heat the 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat in a large, deep skillet. Add the onions and a pinch of salt. Stir occasionally, until the onions are soft and begin to take on color.

Cooking the onions. When you get to this point, make sure you watch them closely. You want caramelization, not burning.

Once the onions begin to brown, watch them more closely and stir more often; you want the onions to brown, not burn. Cook them down as far as you like. (I prefer them to be fully caramelized.) Depending on how dark you want the onions, it could take anywhere between 20 – 30 minutes to cook them.

I like my onions well caramelized. This took about 30 minutes.

When the onions are done, take them off the heat and set aside.

3. About halfway through the rice cooking time, place the lentils in a medium saucepan, cover with water to at least 1″ above the lentils, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook the lentils, adding water as needed, until they are done, about 20 – 25 minutes.

Boiling the lentils. Be sure to keep them covered with water so they don’t dry out.

4. When the lentils and the rice are done, mix them together (I usually do this in the pot I cooked the rice in). Mix in the onions. Taste for seasoning.

5. Mujadarah is usually served with either yogurt or a tomato-cucumber salad (basically tabouleh without the bulghur wheat).

Tabouleh (or Tabooly, Tabouley, Tabouly, Tabboole, Tabbouleh) is one of those ubiquitous Arabic dishes that has entered the Western diet along with Shish Kebabs, Baba Ghannouj, Hummous, and pita bread. Few people really give any of these dishes much thought about where they originated, but what they do know is with the ever-popular Mediterranean Diet, these dishes have become almost de rigeur to the Western palate.

Tabouley did originate in the Middle East, namely Syria, and has been eaten since at least the Middle Ages (and quite likely further back than that). The word tabouleh comes from the Arabic word taabil (توابل) meaning “seasoning”. There are, of course, regional variations. In Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, and Palestine, it is usually served as part of a meze (appetizer), with romaine lettuce. In Lebanon, cooks use more parsley than bulgur wheat in their dish. A Turkish variation of the dish is known as kısır, while a similar Armenian dish is known as eetch.

(some information from www.wikipedia.org)

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There are no real hard-and-fast rules to making tabouleh. Every region, every household, has its own version. The most common ingredients are:

Bulghur Wheat

Tomatoes

Cucumber

Parsley

Mint

Onion (yellow or green)

Lemon Juice

Olive Oil

Some of the variations include:

radishes

lettuce

couscous

garlic

oregano

thyme (za’atar)

I’ve also seen recipes that include:

olives

corn

cilantro

bell peppers

vinegar

For me, I like to stick to the classic preparation, with the inclusion of garlic.

The ingredients

So, in my tabouleh, I have (from l-r)

Mint, minced

Parsley, minced

Green Onions, sliced very thin

Cucumber, diced

Lemon juice, to taste

Tomatoes, seeded and diced

Garlic, minced

Olive Oil

Burghul Wheat, rinsed, soaked and drained

Salt to taste

A few notes on the ingredients:

1. If you use cucumber, use either English (hothouse) or Persian cucumbers. They have a lower water content and fewer seeds. Plus, they don’t need peeling. However, if you must use the standard cucumber, you will need to peel them (the skin is tough and usually waxed) and scoop out the seeds. I cut mine into a roughly 1/4-inch dice.

2. Tomatoes will need to be seeded and diced. Unless you’re using cherry tomatoes. Just cut them in halves and don’t worry about seeding them.

3. The traditional parsley used in tabouleh (or any Arabic dish, for that matter) is curly. However, if you have flat-leaf (Italian), that’s fine. I happened to already have some on hand, so that’s what I used here.

4. If you use green onions (scallions), use both the green and white parts. If you use yellow onion, use a fine mince. Don’t use red onion – the color will leach out.

5. If you use garlic, make sure it is finely minced. And, remember, raw garlic is powerful stuff. Begin by using less than you think you should use. Once the salad is finished, taste. You want the garlic to compliment, not overpower. Remember, you can always add, but you can’t take away.

The same can be said for any of the seasonings.

I don’t include any measurements in this recipe because, like I said before, there are no true hard-and-fast rules.

That being said, The ratio I prefer of bulgur-to-vegetables is about 1 cup (soaked) bulghur to 2 cups vegetables.

As for the bulghur, I like to use is a medium-coarse grind. I prefer the chewiness of it, which is especially nice after the tabouleh has been sitting for a while, like overnight.

Bulgher Wheat. It’s basically wheat that has been parboiled, dried, then cracked. It’s also known as “cracked wheat”.

There are four different grinds of bulghur:

#1: very fine – usually used in kibbeh

#2: fine – usually used in stuffings and tabouleh

#3: medium coarse – can be used in tabouleh, but is also used in soups and pilafs

#4: very coarse – usually used in pilafs, stews, and as a rice substitute

You will need to wash and soak the bulghur before adding it to the vegetables. There is a lot of dust left on the bulghur during the manufacturing and packaging. The best way to accomplish this is to place the bulghur in a fine sieve (or a colander lined with cheesecloth) and run it under cold water until the water runs clear.

Rinsing the bulgur.

Once you have rinsed it, transfer the bulghur to a large bowl and cover with water (about 1″ above the surface of the wheat). Let the bulghur sit for at least 20 minutes (depending on the grind) or until it is al dente. The wheat will increase in volume by 50% – 100%, again, depending on the grind.

Soaking the wheat.

While the wheat is soaking, prepare the vegetables & herbs and place them in a bowl large enough for you to mix in when all the ingredients are ready.

The vegetables and herbs ready to go.

When the wheat is ready (taste some to be sure it’s to your liking), drain it thoroughly in a fine sieve or colander lined with cheesecloth. There shouldn’t be too much water left. If there is very little water, you can simply squeeze the bulgher in your hands and add it to the vegetables.

The soaked bulghur. It’s hard to see in this photo, but there is a real difference in the volume. (Compare to the one above.)

Adding the bulghur to the vegetables and herbs.

Now, carefully mix together all of the ingredients until they are fully incorporated. Add the olive oil, lemon, and salt to taste. Mix again. Taste again. If you can, let the tabouleh sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Sahtein! سحتين

The real beauty of this dish is it can be served with anything or alone. It can be served cold or at room temperature. And, anyone can eat it – omnivore and vegan alike.

For my next blog post, I decided to make a dish that is near and dear to my heart; one of my ultimate comfort foods – Kibbeh. My sisters and I grew up eating this dish. Rather ravenously, I might add. It’s part of our heritage. Putting it together was a collaborative effort for our parents. Mom always made the filling, Dad put it together – whether as little footalls for the fryer or in the baking dish for the oven. It was always a much appreciated treat.

Kibbeh (كبة‎) is a popular and much-loved dish throughout the Middle East. It is generally made with cracked wheat (burghul), spices, minced onion and ground meat, gnerally beef, lamb, or goat, or a combination.

It can be shaped into stuffed croquetes (basically little footballs) and deep fried for mezze or made into layers and baked for a main dish. Some folks also eat raw kibbeh. Like Arabic Steak Tartare, minus the quail’s egg and capers.

In Israel, Kubbeh matfuniya and kubbeh hamusta are staples of Iraqi-Jewish cooking. Kubbeh soup, served in many oriental grill restaurants in Israel, is described as a “rich broth with meat-stuffed dumplings and vegetables”.

A Syrian soup known as kibbeh kishk consists of stuffed kibbeh in a yogurt and butter broth with stewed cabbage leaves.

Fried, torpedo-shaped kibbehs have become popular in Haiti, Dominican Republic and South America – where they are known as quipe or quibbe – after they were introduced by Lebanese, Syrian, and Palestinian immigrants in the early 20th Century.

(some historical information from www.wikipedia.org)

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Now, on to the recipe.

I make this with a combination of beef and lamb. You can use all of one or the other if you like. Goat is also very popular (in the Middle East, anyway) in Kibbeh as well.

As I stated in my Hummous post (3/19/12), I’m pretty much a traditionalist when it comes to my Middle Eastern food. The one thing I have in the traditional recipe I’ve changed is the amount of onion I use. Most recipes can call for up to 4 onions. I use 1 medium-sized one. Otherwise, it’s pretty authentic.

Pine Nuts. These are not inexpensive. They can go for upwards of $20 per pound depending on where you shop. If you decide you don’t want to go to the expense, slivered almonds are a good substitute.

Kibbeh Filling

2 tbsp. clarified butter

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

1 1/2 lbs. ground lamb or beef (use 90/10 ground)

1/2 c. pine nuts or slivered almonds

1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste

1/2 tsp. black pepper, or to taste

1/2 tsp. ground allspice, or to taste

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, or to taste

Raw Kibbeh (the top and bottom layers)

2 lbs. ground lamb or beef (use 90/10 ground beef)

2 cups cracked wheat (burghul)

1 tsp. salt, or to taste

1 tsp. ground black pepper, or to taste

1/2 tsp. ground allspice, or to taste

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, or to taste

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In this recipe, I call for clarified butter. I don’t use much, but it’s a necessary traditional flavor component.

A note on clarified butter: I always like to have it on hand. It has a much higher smoke point than regular butter (450F vs 350F) so it doesn’t burn as quickly. Plus, it’s delicious. There are some chefs who deep-fry in clarified butter. You can buy it off the shelf in Indian and Middle Eastern Groceries (Ghee and Samneh, respectively). When buying, make sure the container indicates that the clarified butter was made with milk. If it says “vegetable” anywhere on the container, it’s essentially margarine.

However, clarified butter is very easy to make at home. It keeps for several months and tastes a whole lot better.

Basically, clarified butter is butter where the milk solids have been removed. It can be made with either salted or unsalted butter. (I prefer to use unsalted. I can control the amount of salt in my recipes.) It’s always best to use European style butter. It has a lower water content and a higher butterfat content. Not only will it taste better, you’ll end up with a higher yield.

To make clarified butter, slowly melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. (I usually do 2 pounds at a time. I recommend doing at least 1 pound.)

Melting the butter.

Once the butter has melted, take it off the heat and, with a large spoon, carefully begin skimming the milk fat off the surface.

Milk solids on the surface of the melted butter.

Skimming off the milk solids.

I generally discard the milk solids, but some people do use them for other things. Like spreading on toast or pancakes. It’s certainly up to you.

After skimming off the milk solids.

Carefully pour the butter into a storage container or into a measuring cup. Leave any residual milk solids and water in the saucepan.

About 3 cups clarified butter is my yield from 2 pounds of butter.

What’s left in the saucepan is mostly water and any residual milk solids. Go ahead and discard.

The water and residual milk solids left over.

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Now, time for the Kibbeh.

1. Make the Kibbeh Filling: In a large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil. Add the onion and saute until it begins to soften, about 3 – 5 minutes. Add the meat (in this illustration I used lamb) and cook until it is no longer pink. Add the pine nuts or almonds and cook another 2 – 3 minutes. Add the spices and mix thoroughly. Cook another 3 – 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the filling to begin cooling. (There may be some extra fat in the skillet. If there is, go ahead and drain it off.)

The completed Kibbeh filling. Yummy. I have a hard time not standing there with a spoon over the skillet eating.

2. Make the Raw Kibbeh: Put the bulghur in a fine-meshed strainer and rinse it off under cold running water. Do this until the water runs clear. Let it drain.

Close-up of bulghur wheat. I like to use a medium sized grain. Too fine a grain will give the kibbeh too soft a texture.

Rinsing off the bulghur.

Put the bulghur in a medium bowl and cover with water. Let the bulghur soak until it begins to soften; about 20 – 30 minutes. Drain in a fine sieve, pressing out as much of the water as possible, and set aside.

Soaking the burghul.

3. Take the meat and put into a large bowl. (In this illustration, I used beef for the Raw Kibbeh.). Add the bulghur.

The meat and burghul. Getting ready to mix together.

Now, time to use your hands. Dig in and mix the ingredients together. You want them to be thoroughly mixed. Add the salt, pepper, cinnamon, and allspice. Mix until the spices are well incorporated.

The meat, burghul, and spices all mixed together.

Now, you need to taste for seasoning. For me, the best way to taste for seasoning is to take a small amount of the mixture and give it a quick fry on the stove. That way, I’ll get a better idea of how the finished dish will taste once it’s been completely cooked. Plus, I won’t be eating raw ground beef.

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little of the clarified butter. Take a small amount of the mixture and form it into a roughly quarter-sized patty. Once the butter is hot, add the patty to the skillet and cook. It should take about 2 – 3 minutes. Take the patty out of the skillet, allow it to cool for a minute, then taste.

Adjust the seasonings as needed.

Cooking the mixture to taste it for seasoning.

Or, you could be like my mom or my Arab aunties and just know by smell when the seasoning is right. I’ve not ever been able to master that skill.

4. Once you’re happy with the raw kibbeh, prepare a baking dish. (In this illustration, I used a 12″ x 18″ dish, and it was a little large. Use something closer to an 11″ x 15″.) Give it a quick spritz with non-stick spray or grease it with butter or olive oil.

Take half of the raw kibbeh and spread it over the bottom as evenly as you can. It’ll take some doing, but you’ll get there. If you wet or grease your hands, it’ll help make the process a little easier.

Begin preheating the oven to 375F.

The raw kibbeh spread in the bottom of the baking dish.

5. Take the Kibbeh filling and spread it evenly over the bottom layer of the Raw Kibbeh.

Kibbeh filling added to the baking dish.

6. Time to put the top layer on. Because of the filling, you won’t be able to spread the top layer the same way as the bottom. So, a different method is needed.

Take small amounts of the raw Kibbeh and flatten them out into thin pieces and lay each piece on top of the Kibbeh filling.

Putting on the top layer.

Be sure to fill in any little gaps as needed. I know that it will seem like you’ll not have enough for the top layer; but, if you persevere, you will.

7. Once you have finished completing the top layer, cut through the layers in diamond or square shapes approximately 2 inches each. This will help with even baking and make cutting the finished Kibbeh easier.

Cutting the Kibbeh.

If you like, take some extra pine nuts or almonds and press one into the center of each diamond or square. Drizzle a little clarified butter or olive oil over the top.

Kibbeh ready for the oven.

8. Put the Kibbeh in the oven and bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until it is well-browned. If you like, turn on the broiler for about 3 – 5 minutes after the initial cooking time to make the Kibbeh golden brown.

The Finished Kibbeh. De-licious.

Let the Kibbeh sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

9. It’s a good idea to serve this dish with a bit of yogurt on the side. It will help cut the richness of the dish.

However, I prefer to make a quick salad with the yogurt. I’ve based this on a recipe very similar that Mom always made.

The salad ingredients.

1 cucumber (If you can go with Hothouse [English] or Persian. If you use standard cucumbers, peel and remove the seeds)

1/4 c. fresh mint, chopped

3/4 c. plain yogurt (I like to use full fat Greek yogurt)

Salt & black pepper to taste

Cut the cucumber into whatever size pieces you like. Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Adjust the seasonings if you like.

The finished salad.

10. Serve.

Dinner is ready. It tastes much better than it looks in this photo. I promise.

Enjoy! Sahtein!

p.s. If you like this, I’m teaching even more classic Eastern Mediterranean dishes on Sunday, September 16, at Central Market, 4001 N. Lamar Boulevard.